Lighted room thermostat



Dec. 10, 1957 H. A. MCINTosH 2,816,213

LIGHTED ROOM THERMOSTAT Filed Sept. 17, 1954 @if f INVENTOR,

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent LIGHTED ROOM THERMOSTAT ,Harold A. yMcIntosh, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to General Controls Co.,-Glendale, Calif., a corporation 'of California Application September'17, 1954, Serial No. 456,760

Claims. (Cl. .24U- 2.1)

This invention relates to a room thermostat structure, and more particularly to -the'provision of illumination for facilitating adjustment vof the thermostat.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple structure making it possible properly to adjust the thermostat yduring the nighttime without requiring the room lights to be turned on. For this purpose, the ther- -mostat structure is so constructed and arranged that its dial 'and thermometer may be illuminated by an electric lamp within the structure.

-It is another `object of this invention to provide a novel silent switch for controlling 'the lamp, movable to one 'position upon the exertion of a light force upon the housing or cover, and movable to the other position upon the removal of the force. For this purpose, the cover is mounted for limited movement with respect 'to the thermo- `stat base, yielding means biasing the cover and base apart.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a hinged thermostat cover in which 'a spring latch for the cover permits limited movement of the cover :and yieldin-gly urges the cover outwardly to provide bias for the switch.

This invention possesses many other advantages, :and has lother objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown `a form in vthe drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form `will now be vdescribed in detail illustrating the .general principles of :the invention; but -it is -to be understood lthat this detailed description is not to be taken in a llimiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an yelevation of a room thermostat structure incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken along the .plane indicated by line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Eig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Fig. 2., -showing the apparatus in an valternate position; and

Fig. l4 is a sectional view, taken along the .plane indicated byline 3 3 of Fig. v2.

ln Fig. l there is shown Ya room thermostat yincluding as elements a thermometer r11 and a `calibrated dial .12, having an adjusting knob, -for adjustment ofthe thermostat.

The thermostat parts `(not shown) are carried by 4a support 13. The support 13 is, in turn, supported within a two-part housing. One fpart -of the vhousing .comprises a hollow base 14 which may -be made of insulation material -or the like, kand which is adapted to be placed against, or accommodated -within a recess in, the wall of [the structure.

The base 14 is generally .ofeattened#box-like-contigurationya bottom wall 14a `otsubstantial area'being adjoined .by four Vside walls 14b ofsmall width. The top wall .is

,provided with .a large rectangular opening v15 .forming a continuous vinwardly directed tiange 14e. A rectangu- ICC 2 lar shell 16, made of light metal material or the like, covers the base opening 15. The shell 16 has an opening defined by `a continuous edge 17 that surrounds `the base opening 15.

The thermometer 11, located within the cover or shell 16, has a transparent dial that projects slightly above the Iedges of a central rectangular aperture 18 of the cover 16. It is accordingly visible exteriorly of the Vcover 16.

The rotatable dial 12, by the aid -ot which the thermo'- stat parts are adjusted, projects through an opening 19 in 'the cover 16 that conforms generally to the configuration of the dial 12. I

The support 1'3 mounting the thermostat parts is secured in place within the cover by the aid of ysuitable securing means 20. The side walls of the cover 16 have substantial clearance with respect `to this support 13.

The cover 116 is pivotallymounted upon the base 14 by the aid of a hinge '21 which permits the thermostat housing to be opened for access thereto. The hinge 21 is secured beneath the flange 14C Iat one end of the base 14.

A spring `finger or catch 23, carried by the shell 16 at lthat side wall thereof opposite the yhinge 21, holds the lcover closed. The dinger 23 projects downwardly be- '.yond the edge 17 of A'the rshell 1:6 and cooperates with the ange 14e for this purpose. The 'finger 23 has an .intermediate ydeviation ii-ttin-g about a vthinned edge of the iiange 14C.

The hinge 21 and the finger 23 are so placed upon the cover .or 'shell ,16 that the 'edge .17 of 'the shell 16 is spaced -suliiciently gabove the ila-nge y14C to permit air yto lenter for appropriately vinuencing the thermostat. Also, :this mounting `permits the shell l16 to be moved further .toward the base 414 .for purposes yto be :hereinafter ldescribed.

Appropriate electrical lconnections (not shown) for the thermostat struct-ure may pass through an aperture 25 :the bottom wal-l 14a :of -the basc 14 at the hinge'en.

A lamp socket 26, cooperable with an incandescent filament lamp 27, is mounted on the bottom wall 14u substantially centrally thereof.

rl'he 'lamp .27 is .intended to provide illumination :both to the thermometer 11 'and the dia-l 12. For this purpose, lightfrom the lamp 27 is permitted to `pass :outwardly of the cover 16 about the edges of the `openings for the thermometer 11andfdial.1.2. The rectangular opening 18, .in which the dial of -thermometer 11 is fitted, has lateral yedges spaced sufficiently `from Ithe corresponding .marginal ,pontions of .the thermometer vfor this purpose. Also, :the lateral edges Iof the opening 19 for the vdial 12 are :spaced suciently from the corresponding marginal portions of `the dial 12.

Silvered surfaces are provided within the housingtparts 14 and 15, ysuch as .at 28 about the lam-p 27 on the bottom wallof the base 14, and at 29 and 30 on the insideof -the kside walls of the shell 16. These silvered surfaces reflect ythe light )rays from the lamp 27 around and under the thermostat :support 13 for passage outwardly lof the .slits for-med .in the `shell .-16.

Toenergize the lamp 27, leads .31 are provided .fthatare lcontrolled by a switch or y.circuit-controller32. The .leads 31 may conveniently coopera-te with .a l'ow voltage source.

The circuit controller 32 .includes a `pair of resilient contact arms k33 and 34 .-insulatedly supported -in juxtaposed Ielationship by .the .aid .of insulation spacers 35. vThese spacers are, in turn, .secured vupon .the bottom wall 14a of the base 14 by the .aid of ascrew 36. Thearms 33 and 34 are electrically connected respectively Yto the leads '31.

When the arms .33 .and 34 are connected, .the .circuit through the lamp 27 is completed. One of the Iarms, in

this instance the upper arm 34, carries a contact 37 engageable with the other arm 33 upon a slight flexure of the arms toward eachother. The arms flex toward each other in response to slight inward movementof the cover 16 past the closed position in which it is normally held by the catch 2.3. Such inward movement of the cover may be caused by slight manual pressure on the cover. y

Thecatch 23 permits this movement; its intermediate deviation, however, resiliently opposes the movement, since the sides of the deviation and the resilience of the catch tend to keep the cover 16 in a position in which the ange 14C is precisely seated at the bottom of the deviation. The curvature of the deviation is sufficiently small to permit a material range of movement of the cover 16 with respect to the base 14 without losing the centralizing Jetfect of the deviation.

In the present instance, the catch is so-formed as to provide a limit to the inward movement of the cover 16. The path of movement of a relatively unyielding portion -of the catch terminates at the outer side of the flange 14e.

Upon inward movement of the cover 16, the terminal portion of the catch moves inwardly and slightly laterally, as shown in Fig. 3. Conveniently the circuit controller .32 is operated by this movement of the catch. The catch A23 engages the upper conducting arm 34 through an ad- ,substantially at any area of the cover 16. Force applied :to the dial itself will also move the cover.

The lamp 27 accordingly may be energized without substantial tumbling 1n the dark. Furthermore, the switch or circuit controller v36 operates substantially noiselessly.' t Upon release of force, the resilience of the spring catch .23 causes the cover 16 to move to its normal position,

opening the circuit controller 32 and deenergizing the lamp A thin layer of insulation material 39 is secured to that portion of the thermostat support 13 opposite the lamp 27 to ensure that the heat of the lamp 27 does not affect the thermostat.

The inventor claims:

1. A wall thermostat structure including: a base; a cover for the base; a thermostatic element supported between the cover and the base; means supporting the cover on the base for resiliently resisted movement toward the base from a normal position; means for illuminating the thermostat; and means responsive to movement of the cover toward the base for operating said illuminating means.

2v. A wall thermostat structure including: a base; a cover for the base; a thermostatic element supported between the cover and the base; means movably mounting the cover on the base; said cover and the base having means determining a limited relative position therebetween; a yielding latch for holding the cover in a normal position away from the limited position; said latch permitting movement of said cover from said normal position toward said limited position; means resiliently resisting said movement; energizable means carried by the base for illuminating said thermostat; control means for permitting and preventing energization of said illuminating means, and operable in response to movement of said cover and to return of said cover to said normal position.

3. A Wall thermostat structure including: a base; a cover for the base; a thermostatic element supported between the cover and the base; means hingedly mounting `the cover on the base; said cover and the base having means determining a limited relative position therebetween; a spring catch carried by the cover and engaging the base for determining anormal position of the cover away from said limited position; said spring catch permitting movement of the cover inwardly toward the limited position; an electrically energizable lamp carried by the base for illuminating said thermostat; and a circuit controller for said lamp operable to permit energization of said lamp upon inward movement of said cover.

4. A wall thermostat structure including: a base; a cover for the base; a thermostatic element supported between the cover and the base; means hingedly mounting the cover on the base; said cover and the base having means determining a limited relative position therebetween; a spring c-atch carried by the cover and engaging the base for determining a normal position of the cover away from said limited position; said spring catch permitting movement of the cover inwardly toward the limited position; said catch being moved upon inward movement of said cover; an electrically energizable lamp carried by the base for illuminating said thermostat; and a circuit controller for said lamp positionable in accordance with the position of said catch for permitting and preventing energization of said lamp.

5. A wall thermostat structure including: a housing, comprising a base member and a cover member; the cover member having an opening; means connecting the members for limited resiliently resisted movement toward each other; a thermostatic element supported on the cover and in the housing; a dial supported on the cover and within the housing for adjusting the element, and accessible for adjustment through said opening; there being clearance between the dial and the edges of the opening; a lamp in the housing for illuminating the-dial; means responsive to relative movement of the housing members toward each other to operate the lamp. f

6. A Wall thermostat structure including: a housing, comprising a base member and a cover member; the cover member having openings; means yconnecting the4 members for limited resiliently resisted movement toward each other; a thermostatic element supported on the cover and in the housing; a dial supported on the cover and within the housing for adjusting the element, and accessible for adjustment through one of said openings; a thermometer supported in the housing and aligned with other of said openings; there being clearance between the dial and the edges of the opening with which it cooperates, as well as clearance between the thermometer and the edges of the opening with which it cooperates; a lamp in the housing for illuminating the dial and the thermometer; and means responsive to relative movement of the housing members toward each other to operate the lamp.

7. A wall thermostat structure including: a base; a cover for the base; a spring catch carried by the cover and having an intermediate deviation cooperable with an edge of the base for holding the cover in a normal position, the cover being movable toward the base from said normal position; said intermediate deviation of said catch permitting movement of said cover toward said base from said normally closed position, the deviation having a suicient extent such that the edge moves along the deviation to tlex the catch without passing beyond the deviation when the cover is moved toward the base; energizable means for illuminating said thermostat structure; and control means responsive to movement of said cover tov/ard said base for operating said illuminating means.

8. A wall thermostat structure including: a base; a cover hingedly mounted on the base, an element of the cover being opposed to the base to dene a limited closing position of the cover; a spring catch carried by the cover, and having an intermediate deviation that is non-parallel to the direction of movement of the catch; the base having means providing an edge entering the deviation; the edge being seated in the deviation when the cover is positioned away from said limiting position to determine a normal position of the cover with respect to the base; the catch being increasingly flexed by relative movement of the edge along the deviation when the cover is moved toward said limited position to provide resilient resistance to such movement; the deviation having a suicient extent with respect to the edge to provide a substantial range of resiliently resisted movement of .the cover toward the base; energizable means between the cover and the base for illuminating said cover; and control means responsive to suicient movement of the cover toward the limited position from the normal position thereof for operating said illuminating means.

9. A wall thermostat structure including: a base; a cover hingedly mounted on the base, an element of the cover being opposed to the base to define a liinited'closing position of the cover; a spring catch carried by the cover, and having an intermediate deviation that is non-parallel to the direction of movement of the catch; the base having means providing an edge entering the deviation; the edge being seated in the deviation when the cover is positioned away from said limiting position to determine a normal position of the cover with respect to the base; the catch being increasingly ilexed by relative movement of the edge along the deviation when the cover is moved toward said limited position to provide resilient resistance to such movement; the deviation having a sufficient extent with respect to the edge to provide a substantial range of resiliently resisted movement of the cover toward the base; energizable means between the cover and the base for illuminating said cover; and means responsive to said tiexure of said catch for operating said illuminating means. l0. A wall thermostat structure including: a base; a cover for the base; a thermostatic element supported between the cover and the base; means supporting the cover on the base for movement toward and away from the base; means biasing the cover toward a normal position away from the base; means for illuminating the thermostat; and means responsive to movement of the cover toward the base for operating said illuminating means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,191 Ferri et al Nov. 16, 1926 1,642,676 Grebe Sept. 20, 1927 2,264,044 Lee Nov. 25, 1941 2,529,234 Swanson Nov. 7, 1950 2,698,895 Olson Jan. 4, 1955 

